About the Codex Alimentarius
The Codex Alimentarius Commission develops and adopts food standards that serve as a reference for international food trade.
Objectives
- Protect consumers' health;
- Ensure fair practices in international food trade;
- Coordinate all food standards work done by international governmental and non-governmental organisations.
WTO members applying the Codex Alimentarius standards meet their obligations under the World Trade Organisation Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement).
List of Codex Alimentarius members and observers
EU and Codex Alimentarius
All EU countries are members of the Codex Alimentarius Commission. In 2003, the EU also joined, sharing competence with EU countries depending on the level of harmonisation of the respective legislation. Decision 2003/822/EC describes relevant working procedures and constitutes a legal basis for accession of the EU to Codex. The Directorate-General Health & Food Safety is the EU Codex contact point.
More information on EU accession to Codex
EU position papers under relevant CODEX Committees:
- CAC - Codex Alimentarius Commission
- CCAFRICA - Coordinating Committee for Africa
- CCCF - Codex Committee on Contaminants in Foods
- CCCPL - Codex Committee on Cereals, Pulses and Legumes
- CCEURO - FAO/WHO Coordinating Committee for Europe
- CCEXEC - Executive Committee of the Codex Alimentarius Commission
- CCFA - Codex Committee on Food Additives
- CCFFP - Codex Committee on Fish and Fishery Products
- CCFFV - Codex Committee on Fresh Fruit and Vegetables
- CCFH - Codex Committee on Food Hygiene
- CCFICS - Codex Committee on Food Import and Export Inspection and Certification Systems
- CCFL - Codex Committee on Food Labelling
- CCFO - Codex Committee on Fats and Oils
- CCGP - Codex Committee on General Principles
- CCMAS - Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling
- CCMMP - Codex Committee on Milk and Milk Products
- CCNASW - Coordinating Committee for North America and the South West Pacific
- CCNFSDU - Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses
- CCPFV - Codex Committee on Processed Fruits and Vegetables
- CCPR - Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues
- CCRVDF - Codex Committee on Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods
- CCS - Codex Committee on Sugars
- CCSCH - Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs
- TFAF - ad hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Animal Feeding
- TFAMR - ad hoc Intergovernmental Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance